The Jewish community in Ottawa grew rapidly between the 1850s and the early 20th century, settling mainly in the Lower Town area. According to the census, the Jewish population went from a mere 4 people in 1861 to 398 by 1901, and then grew to 1,776 by 1911, continuing to rise. Jewish traders became predominant in the ByWard Market. Various organizations were formed within the community to help newer immigrants. [1]
Jewish immigration to Canada heavily increased between 1850 and 1939 with the rise of anti-Semitism and pogroms in Eastern Europe. [2] The first Jewish immigrants who settled in Ottawa arrived between 1857 and 1889. [3] "The Jewish population of Ottawa doubled its size approximately five times between 1901 and 1911". [4] Although it is difficult to identify the first Jewish immigrant to Ottawa, some of the earliest were:
Moses Bilsky was originally from Lithuania. He established his home in Lowertown in 1867 and opened a jewellery and pawn shop on Rideau Street. Bilsky was also a philanthropist and founder of Ottawa's first synagogue, Adath Jeshuran. [5]
Rosenthal was an immigrant from Germany first to Australia where he met his wife, Bertha. Rosenthal began a retail jewellery business in Ottawa on Sparks Street called A. Rosenthal & Sons. and was also a philanthropist. [6]
Rosenthal, like her husband, was born in Germany and became a philanthropist. She was a volunteer for many women's organizations as well as a founder and president of the Ottawa Ladies Hebrew Benevolent. [7]
Franklin Dean [8] Burkholder was the great-great-grandson [9] of a Mennonite immigrant from Pennsylvania; [10] his Great-Great-Grandfather having come from Germany to Pennsylvania about 1754. [11] Franklin worked as a furrier and tailor in Ottawa. He was president of F.D. Burkholder Ltd., Furriers and Ladies’ Tailors, located at 119 Bank Street". [12]
The Jewish community may have only been approximately 1.92% of Ottawa's population in the 1920s-1940s, but Lowertown consisted of 70% Jews. [13]
Ottawa's cheap peddling licence and the advantage to observe Shabbat meant peddling became a common occupation for the new immigrants and community. If successful at this demanding career, a peddler would buy a horse and cart or set up a store - likely in the ByWard Market. [14]
The ByWard Market was dominated by Jewish merchants between WWI and WWII. The ByWard Market Street had many Jewish produce businesses. Day merchants rented sidewalk space in the market also on ByWard Market Street. Clothing was located on William Street, the Kosher butchers were located on the west and east sides of the market, dairy on the west side, and The Rideau Bakery was located on the corner of Rideau and Nelson Streets. [15]
As of 2011, there are approximately 14,010 Jews living in Ottawa with numerous community organizations and businesses, a Jewish Community Centre, a number of Jewish preschools and day schools, 8 synagogues and 5 Chabad centres. [16]
The majority of the Ottawa Jewish community reside in Centrepointe and Craig Henry, followed closely by Centretown and The Glebe, and the areas of Westboro, Glabar Park and Whitehaven. The Jewish population is dispersed around the city, with smaller communities in Alta Vista and Barrhaven. There is additionally a growing community of Jews from the Former Soviet Union and Israel. [17] [18]
Kensington Market is a distinctive multicultural neighbourhood in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Market is an older neighbourhood and one of the city's best-known. In November 2006, it was designated a National Historic Site of Canada. Robert Fulford wrote in 1999 that "Kensington today is as much a legend as a district. The (partly) outdoor market has probably been photographed more often than any other site in Toronto."
Vanier, formerly Eastview, is a neighbourhood in the Rideau-Vanier Ward of the east end of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Historically francophone and working class, the neighbourhood was a separate city until being amalgamated into Ottawa in 2001. It no longer has a majority francophone population. By 2012 its francophone population had shrunk to less than 40% from 63% in the early 1980s. The neighbourhood is located on the east bank of the Rideau River, across from the neighbourhoods of Lowertown and Sandy Hill, and just south of Rockcliffe Park, New Edinburgh, Lindenlea, and Manor Park. To the east of Vanier are the suburbs of Gloucester. Vanier has a relatively small area with a high population density.
The ByWard Market, is a retail and entertainment district in the downtown core of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It is located east of the government and business district. The Market district includes the market buildings and open-air market along George, York, ByWard, and William street.
Canadian Jews, whether by culture, ethnicity, or religion, form the fourth largest Jewish community in the world, exceeded only by those in Israel, the United States and France. As of 2021, Statistics Canada listed 335,295 Jews in Canada. This total would account for approximately 1.4% of the Canadian population.
Lower Town (also spelled "Lowertown" is a neighbourhood in Rideau-Vanier Ward in central Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, to the east of downtown. It is the oldest part of the city. It is bounded by Rideau Street to the south, the Ottawa River to the west and north and the Rideau River to the east. It includes the commercial Byward Market area in the south-western part, and is predominantly residential in the north and east.
A.J. Freiman Limited, or Freimans, was a landmark department store at 73 Rideau Street in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, founded in 1918 by Archibald J. Freiman.
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Moses Bilsky was a Canadian merchant and community leader who was believed to be the first Jewish settler in Ottawa, Ontario.
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